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<\/p>\nAmadou Onana has given his opinion on whether Aston Villa can compete for the Premier League title this season<\/p>\n
17:00, 26 Jan 2026Updated 17:03, 26 Jan 2026<\/p>\n
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Aston Villa’s Amadou Onana(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Amadou Onana insists Aston Villa must look up the table rather than behind them after closing the gap to league leaders Arsenal<\/a> to just four points.<\/p>\n Unai Emery\u2019s<\/a> side defeated Newcastle United 2-0 at St. James\u2019 Park<\/a> on Sunday, a statement result considering the club\u2019s previously woeful record on Tyneside, having failed to win in their last 17 visits.<\/p>\n After Arsenal\u2019s dramatic home defeat to Manchester United<\/a>, Villa and Manchester City can continue to pile pressure on the Gunners as the final third of the league campaign approaches.<\/p>\n Villa suffered a shock home defeat themselves earlier this month, as Everton left the second city with a 1\u20130 victory. However, after beating Fenerbahce less than 70 hours after playing at Newcastle, the win over Eddie Howe\u2019s side capped off a perfect week of results for Emery\u2019s men.<\/p>\n \u201cThe whole team knew that coming here it\u2019s always a difficult game,\u201d Onana said after beating Newcastle. \u201cSo this win will definitely give the team some more confidence, and I hope that we will carry on this way.<\/p>\n \u201cHe [Emery] was definitely happy and pleased with the performance. We showed personality and mentality. It\u2019s tough coming here, and it\u2019s been a brilliant performance from the team.<\/p>\n \u201cThe loss against Everton at home, it doesn\u2019t happen quite often, but this is what we are about, picking our heads up.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know who we are, what we are capable of, and we showed it today. Obviously it\u2019s been a very long and difficult week traveling to Turkey.<\/p>\n \u201cI got home at 4am, and it was training the next morning. It\u2019s not easy, but that\u2019s what we get paid for, to go out there and get the job done. That\u2019s what we did.\u201d<\/p>\n Content cannot be displayed without consent<\/p>\n Villa are targeting a Champions League finish this season and now hold a 10-point buffer inside the top five.<\/p>\n While Emery refuses to entertain title talk, if Villa maintain their form and keep pace with Arsenal, he may not be able to dismiss claims that his side can compete for the title for much longer.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just about trying to perform week in, week out and going out there, putting on the best performance we can and playing to the max of our ability,\u201d Onana continued.<\/p>\n \u201cArsenal are the clear favourite because they are performing week in, week out and just beating every single team they face. They are clear favourites.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just try to do our best to keep up with them and the likes of City and Liverpool, to stay in that mix.<\/p>\n \u201cYou always want to look up the table and try to challenge those teams in front of us. There\u2019s no point looking backwards.\u201d<\/p>\n Onana added: \u201cPeople can think whatever they want to think. Everyone\u2019s entitled to their own opinion.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have our own as a team, we know that we can perform and stay in that mix. Whatever people outside think, it doesn\u2019t really bother us. It\u2019s irrelevant.\u201d<\/p>\n Content cannot be displayed without consentFollow our Facebook page!Get more news and AVFC analysis here<\/a> Join our Aston Villa WhatsApp group and get the latest breaking news, interviews and opinion sent straight to your phone, plus matchday team news and live updates of all the action. Just click on this link<\/a> and select \u2018Join Community\u2019 to get started. 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